SECTION A INTRODUCTION TO THE FINAL EIR

SECTION A INTRODUCTION TO THE FINAL EIR

SECTION A INTRODUCTION TO THE FINAL EIR 1. Final EIR Contents The Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Mission Trails FRS II, Pipeline Tunnel, and Vent Demolition Project complies with all criteria, standards, and procedures of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of 1970 (California Public Resources Code, Section 21000 et seq.), the State CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations, Section 15000 et seq.), and the San Diego County Water Authority s (Water Authority) implementing requirements. This document, Volume 3 of the Final EIR, consists of the following sections: Section A - Introduction to the Final EIR: This section provides a description of the Final EIR contents and process. Section B - Responses to Comments on the Draft EIR: This section provides the comment letters on the Draft EIR that were received during and after the 45-day public review period, as well as the Water Authority s responses to each comment. Section C - Errata: This section documents specific changes to the Draft EIR that are to be considered part of the Final EIR. This includes corrections to the information in the Draft EIR to reflect the responses to comments in Section B of the Final EIR, as well as other corrections to the Draft EIR, pursuant to Section 15088(c) of the CEQA Guidelines. Additional information provided in the responses to comments on the Draft EIR is not reflected in the Errata to the Draft EIR. Such additional information is part of the Final EIR, however, and will be considered in the decision-making process. 2. Overview of the EIR Process A Notice of Preparation (NOP) identifying the scope of the EIR was circulated by the Water Authority for public review between April 5, 2005 and May 5, 2005. Letters addressing the scope of the EIR were received from the California Department of Fish and Game, Native American Heritage Commission, State of California Department of Health Services, County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation, Sweetwater Authority, City of San Diego Land Development Review Division, San Diego Archaeological Society, Inc., Alvin and Lorah Lehman, Fred Zuckerman, LeeAnn Franco, Bill Winans, Brad Burkhart, Diep Nguyn, and Gary Klockenga, Government Publications Librarian at the San Diego Public Library. Issues raised in these comment letters were addressed in the EIR. A public scoping meeting was held April 19, 2006. The Water Authority provided a presentation about the project and the EIR process and invited attendees to speak. One local resident spoke about the FRS I project and the Water Authority s agreement not to use Seda Drive for construction access. The Draft Mission Trails FRS II, Pipeline Tunnel, and Vent Demolition Project (SCH No. 2005041025) Final EIR, August 2006 Page A - 1

Section A Introduction EIR addressed this and all other issues raised during the 30-day NOP review and comment period. The NOP and response letters, and the minutes of the public scoping meeting, are included in Appendix A of the Draft EIR (Volume 2 of this Final EIR). The 45-day public review period for the Draft EIR extended from March 27, 2006 to May 10, 2006. The Draft EIR was circulated to responsible and other agencies having jurisdiction by law over the environment affected by the proposed project. Fifteen (15) copies of the Draft EIR were sent to the Governor s Office of Planning and Research, State Clearinghouse, along with the required Notice of Completion (NOC). Simultaneously, notices of availability of the Draft EIR were published in the local newspaper. The Draft EIR was available for review at the Water Authority s headquarters at 4677 Overland Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123, and at the Tierrasanta and Navajo branches of the public library. During and after the CEQA public review period, twenty (20) comment letters on the Draft EIR were received from the following agencies, groups, and individuals: 1. Wildlife Agencies (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS] and California Department of Fish and Game [CDFG]); 2. State of California, Department of Transportation, District 11; 3. State of California, Department of Toxic Substances Control; 4. State of California, Governor s Office of Planning and Research, State Clearinghouse and Planning Unit; 5. San Diego County Archaeological Society, Inc.; 6. City of San Diego, Land Development Review Division, Development Services; 7. City of San Diego, Councilmember Jim Madaffer; 8. Mission Trails Regional Park Citizens Advisory Committee; 9. San Diego City Schools; 10. Tierrasanta Community Council; 11. City of San Diego (Development Services Environmental Services Section, Park and Recreation Department, and Planning Department); 12. San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E); 13. Tom Simpson; 14. Roberta Froome; 15. Lee Ann and Thomas Franco; 16. Chris Sibel; 17. Linda and Robert Juhasz; 18. B. Winans; 19. Lyn Kagey; and 20. Price Kagey. Mission Trails FRS II, Pipeline Tunnel, and Vent Demolition Project (SCH No. 2005041025) Final EIR, August 2006 Page A - 2

Section A Introduction Copies of the letters, along with the Water Authority written responses to each comment, are included in Section B of this Final EIR, Volume 3. A public hearing on the Draft EIR was held April 27, 2006. Seven individuals provided public comment and distributed one set of maps and one letter. Those presenting comments were: 1. Roberta Froome, 2. Paul Roglasky, 3. Bob Muldrew, 4. Ken Oertle (including referenced maps), 5. Benjamin Eastman, 6. Tim Taylor, and 7. Eric Germain. A letter from the Friends of Tierrasanta Canyons was provided as a handout by Ms. Froome. A copy of the hearing transcript and the handouts, along with the Water Authority written responses to each comment, are included in Section B of this Final EIR, Volume 3. A copy of the Final EIR has been provided to all the above-referenced entities that commented on the Draft EIR. In addition, the Final EIR is available for review at Water Authority s headquarters at 4677 Overland Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123, at the Tierrasanta and Navajo branches of the public library, and on the Water Authority s website: www.sdcwa.org. The Water Authority s Board of Directors will subsequently consider whether to certify the Final EIR as complete and in compliance with CEQA and must consider it in approving or denying the proposed project. If the project is approved, a Notice of Determination (NOD) shall be filed with the State Clearinghouse and the County Clerk s office. Public input is allowed at the Water Authority s Board of Director s meeting for certification of the Final EIR. In the final review of the proposed project, environmental, economic and social factors will be considered to determine the most appropriate course of action. CEQA Findings, Statement of Overriding Considerations (SOC), and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) have been prepared in compliance with Section 21081 of the Public Resources Code and Sections 15091, 15093, and 15097, respectively, of the CEQA Guidelines. These documents are provided under separate cover. Per Section 15091, when making Findings that state changes or alterations have been required in, or incorporated into, the project which avoid or substantially lessen the significant environmental effect(s) as identified in the Final EIR, the Water Authority, as the CEQA Lead Agency, must adopt a reporting or monitoring program to ensure compliance with these changes or conditions of approval during project implementation. Mission Trails FRS II, Pipeline Tunnel, and Vent Demolition Project (SCH No. 2005041025) Final EIR, August 2006 Page A - 3